Brake-lever strut.



L. PORTER.

BRAKE LEVER STRUT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1909.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

(NVENTOR Lam/1. P012752 WITNESSES 9px UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMUEL PORTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO RAILWAY EQUIP-MENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BRAKE-LEVER STRUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

Application filed July 12, 1909. Serial No. 507,135.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LnMUnL PORTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Brake- Lever Struts, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich-:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a brake lever strut of my improvedconstruction. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the strut. Fig. 3 is a crosssection taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a cross sectiontaken through the center of a modified form of my improved strut.

My invention relates to a brake lever strut particularly designed fortrussed brake beams, although with slight modifications the constructioncan be advantageously employed in connection with struts on socalledsolid beams.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a strut with anadjustable block which receives the pivot or fulcrum pin of the brakelever, thereby enabling the brake lever to be adjusted forward orbackward in the strut and also permitting the lever to be shifted fromone angular position to another, as is required in right and left handbeams.

To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed.

As shown in the drawings, the main body of my improved strut is cast orformed in a single piece, and comprises a pair of parallel bars 1, thesame being arranged one immediately above the other, said bars beingunited at one end by a sleeve 2 which embraces the central portion ofthe compres sion member of the beam. The opposite ends of the bars 1 areunited by a block 3, in which is formed a horizontally disposed notch 4which receives the central portion of the tension member of the beam.

Formed integral with the inner faces of the bars 1 are rows of teeth 5,the same being segmentally curved lengthwise and concentrio with theaxial line of the body of the strut. The pivot pin block 6, or the blockon which the brake lever is fulcrumed, is substantially cylindrical inform and provided with a diametrically arranged slot 7 through which thebrake lever 8 passes, and formed through the central portion of theblock, at right angles to the slot 7 is an aperture 9 which receives thebrake lever pivot or fulcrum pin 10, of standard design.

Formed integral with the block (5 and on the exterior thereof,immediately adjacent the sides of the slot 7, are teeth 11 which areadapted to engage and interlock between the rows of teeth 5 on the bodyof the strut.

Formed integral with the block 6 adjacent the ends and between the pairsof rows of teeth 11 are lugs 12 which are adapted to engage against theedges of the bars 1, thereby performing the function of stops to limitthe rotary motion of the pivot pin block in the strut.

The four rows of teeth 11 on the block (3 are arranged in pairs with theindividual rows of each pair directly opposite one another, andtherefore, when the block 6 is properly positioned in the strut, a pairof the rows of teeth 11 will be in engagementor interlocked with the tworows of teeth 5. Such construction permits the block (3 to be rotatedapproximately a quarter of aturn, or a sufficient distance to shift theslot 7 from one position to another so as to accommodate the brake lever8 either in right or left hand position. The block 6 may be readilydisengaged from its position between the bars 1 when so rotated as todisengage the rows of teeth 5 and 11, and then drawing said blockhorizontally outward. By thus making the block removable it may beadjusted forward and backward in the strut, thereby changing theposition of the pin on which the brake lever is pivoted.

In the modified form of the strut shown in Fig. 4, the bars forming thebody of the strut are arranged directly opposite one another in ahorizontal plane, and the adjustable block, which is normally positionedbetween said bars and interlocked therewith,

is removed by withdrawing the same vertically from its position betweensaid bars.

A strut of my improved constructlon is comparatively sim 1e, comprisesbut two parts, is readily ad ustable, and when positioned on a beampermits the brake lever to be hung either on the right or left handside.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the construction andform of my improved device can be made and substituted for those hereinshown and described without in the least departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a brake lever strut, of an interiorly arrangedadjustable pivot pin block having an interlocking engagement with saidstrut, which block is partially rotated to effect the interlockingengagement.

2. The combination with a brake lever strut, of an interiorly arrangedadjustable pivot pin block having an interlocking engagement with saidstrut, which block is partially rotated to efi'ect the interlockingengagement, and stops on the block to limit the rotary motion thereof inone direction.

3. The combination with a strut, of an interiorly arranged adjustablepivot pin block, and interlocking teeth formed on the strut and block,which block is partially rotated to effect interlocking engagement ofthe teeth.

4. The combination with a strut, of an interiorly arranged adjustablepivot pin block, interlocking teeth formed 011 the strut and block,which block is partially rotated to effect interlocking engagement ofthe teeth, and stops formed on the block for limiting the rotary motionthereof in one direction.

5. A brake lever strut comprising a member having oppositely arrangedrows of teeth, and an interiorly arranged pivot pin block having rows ofteeth adapted to interlock with the rows of teeth on the body of thestrut by a rotary movement of said block.

6. A brake lever strut comprising a rigidly held body portion and arotary pivot pin block arranged therein and having an interlockingconnection with the body of the strut.

7. A brake lever strut comprising a rigidly held body portion, a rotarypivot pin block having an interlocking connect-ion with the body of thestrut, and stops on said blocks for limiting the rotary motion thereofin one direction.

8. A brake lever strut comprising a rigidly held body, oppositelydisposed rows of teeth thereon, a rotary pivot pin block adjustablyarranged in the body of the strut, and a plurality of oppositelydisposed rows of teeth on said block, which teeth are adaptlindricalpivot pin block adapted to be positioned in the strut, and a pluralityof rows of teeth on the block, which teeth are adapt- .ed to interlockwith the teeth on the strut.

11. The combination with a brake lever strut provided with. a row ofteeth, of a cylindrical pivot pin block adapted to be positioned in thestrut, a plurality of rows of teeth on the block, which teeth areadapted to interlock with the teeth on the strut, and

stops formed on the block for limiting the rotary movement thereof.

12. The combination with a brake lever strut, of a rotary pivot pinblock removably arranged in the body of the strut and having aninterlockingengagement therewith.

13. The combination with a brake lever strut constructed in one piece,of a one-piece slotted pivot pin block longitudinally adjustable withinthe body of said strut.

14:. The combination with a brake lever strut constructed in one piece,of a one-piece slotted pivot pin block longitudinally adjustable withinthe body of said strut and having interlocking engagement therewith.

15. The combination with a brake lever strut constructed in one piece,of a one-piece slotted pivot pin block adjustably arranged in the bodyof said strut and having interlocking engagement therewith at twodifferent points.

16. The combination with a one-piece brake lever strut, the ends ofwhich are formed to receive the compression and tension members of abrake beam, and a rotary pivot pin block longitudinally adjustablewithin the body of the strut.

17. A brake lever strut constructed in a single piece, having alongitudinallydisposed slot adapted to receive a pivot pin block, andmeans for longitudinally adjusting said block therein.

18. A brake lever strut constructed in a single piece, having alongitudinally-disposed slot adapted to receive a pivot pin block,theends of which strut are adapted to receive the compression andtension members of a brake-beam, and means for longitudinally adjustingsaid block.

19. The combination with a onepiece brake lever strut, of a slottedrotary pivot pin block longitudinally adjustable within In testimonwhereof I hereunto aflix my the body of the strut. signature in t e)resonce of two witnesses,

20. The con'lbination with a one -piece this 26th day of hue 1909. brakelever strut, of a slotted rotary pivot LEMUEL PORTER. 5 pin blocklongitudinally adjustable wlthin Witnesses:

the body of the strut and having interlock- EDWARD '1. WVALKER,

ing engagement therewith. JOSEPH WV. VVEINLANI).

